A washing nozzle configured to wash the body such as the “bottom” and the like of a user sitting on a toilet seat squirts wash water onto the body in the state in which at least a portion of the washing nozzle is exposed (advanced) outside a casing to which prescribed functional parts such as the washing nozzle, a warm water tank, etc., are mounted. Therefore, there is a risk that liquid waste and/or solid waste may adhere to the washing nozzle. Conversely, there exist sanitary washing apparatuses to rinse away and remove the liquid waste and/or the solid waste adhered to the washing nozzle prior to and after performing the body wash. Thereby, the washing nozzle is kept clean.
However, even in the case where the liquid waste and/or the solid waste adhered to the washing nozzle are rinsed away, there are cases where bacteria propagates on the washing nozzle over time in humid environments such as that of the toilet room. More specifically, there is a risk that, for example, bacteria such as methylobacterium called pink slime and the like and black mold, etc., that occur on the bowl face and the like of the toilet may adhere to the washing nozzle; and the bacteria may propagate on the washing nozzle. Then, for example, in the case where bacteria called biofilms and the like and collections of secretions of the bacteria (slime and black dirt) form due to the propagation of the bacteria, it becomes difficult to remove such biofilms in a normal nozzle wash such as that described above.
Conversely, there is a private part cleansing apparatus in which an electrolytic cell is included as a nozzle wash production unit (Patent Document 1). In the private part cleansing apparatus according to Patent Document 1, in the case where service water is used as the wash water, chlorine included in the service water undergoes a chemical change into hypochlorous acid due to electrolysis and can perform cleaning as an acidic chemical liquid. Therefore, effective cleaning of particularly the dirt due to ammonia, etc., is possible.
In such a case, it is more favorable for the electrolytic cell to be provided at a portion more proximal to the nozzle to efficiently utilize the wash water produced by the electrolytic cell. Therefore, there is a private part cleansing apparatus in which the electrolytic cell is provided in the flow channel downstream of the warm water tank (Patent Document 2). In the private part cleansing apparatus according to the Patent Document 2, electrolyzed water is produced by warm water being electrolyzed inside the electrolytic cell. Then, a nozzle wash unit squirts the warm water as the wash water onto the bottom wash nozzle and the bidet wash nozzle.
However, when the electrolyzed water is produced by the warm water being electrolyzed, calcium carbonate and the like such as so-called “scale,” etc., are produced easily. It is problematic when the scale adheres to the electrodes of the electrolytic cell because the production capability of the electrolyzed water decreases.
Conversely, the private part cleansing apparatus according to Patent Document 2 causes the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrodes to reverse to remove the scale. Similarly, there is a control apparatus of an electrolytic cell that includes a polarity switch unit configured to switch the polarities of the anode side and the cathode side of the electrodes of the electrolytic cell (Patent Document 3). According to the private part cleansing apparatus and the control apparatus of the electrolytic cell according to Patent Documents 2 and 3, respectively, the scale that is produced is peeled from the surfaces of the electrodes by the polarity reversal.
However, in a sanitary washing apparatus having a relatively narrow flow channel, there is a risk that the flow channel may clog due to the scale that peels from the electrodes.